Local Entrepreneur Launches 'Product Cycler'

Have you ever had a product break and wondered, "How long ago did I buy this? Is it still under warranty?"

Those questions often set off the following chain of events: hunting for files and receipts, starting an exhaustive search for a replacement that includes seeking reviews for a new item that might last longer and trying to determine what accessories are needed to accompany it. 

To help people and businesses simplify that entire scenario, entrepreneur Michael Lebovitz has created 'Product Cycler,' a website that provides users the ability to organize all of the products they purchase and own in one place. 

"Our philosophy is that in a world of constant change, you should know more about the products that you own and have instant access to things such as product information, receipts, warranties, pictures and ratings," explained Lebovitz, who was raised in Springfield and currently lives in Millburn. "By organizing your products on our site, we are able to let you know what products will work with yours, when your products or warranties are due to expire and what you would like next when your current product’s life cycle finally runs out. Basically, Product Cycler allows you to organize the information you need to make smarter and better buying decisions."

The 24-year-old who recently received his graduate degree from Wagner College said it was while working at his family's Westfield-based business, Romark Logistics, that the idea for Product Cycler was born.

"I was sitting with some people in my office and a guy was complaining about his computer, his printer, and he's sitting there saying we just wasted $200 putting money into it with RAM (random access memory) and a new screen and he said, 'I wish I knew more about what I had so I could've been told when it was time to let it go instead of wasting more money.' So that was when I came up with the idea and I wondered, when everyone is so infatuated with each other and each other's things, people need to know more about the tangible assets in their lives."

Whether it's an individual or an office, Lebovitz believes owners need to know more about what they have and should be alerted about when their products or their warranties are due to expire. 

"Six months before your product is due to expire, we analyze all aspects of your past purchases: specs, brands, price--and show you a list of the products that you would like. We make advertising fun; we welcome it on our site and are proud of it. For us, advertising isn't just a way to make money, it's a way to show you products that you would actually use."

Product Cycler also offers account holders a chance to learn more about accessories that would work with their products.

Lebovitz said he uses the following example when explaining his new business to potential users as well as advertisers: "If you buy a Keurig, you don't want to see coffeemakers advertisements for the two or three years of that product's life or however long that product is going to last, you want to see advertisements for Starbucks K-cups, Dunkin' Donut's K-cups. By knowing what people have, it brings more of a targeted advertising base to it."

The entrepreneur said Product Cycler can not only bring owners together with advertisers in a way that hasn't been done before, but also it offers insurance companies a chance to more accurately issue insurance policies based on exactly what clients own. 

Product Cycler users, who can create an account for free, can organize their belongings by room or by floors in their home. Having all your receipts and warranties in one online place can prove invaluable for those who are victims of floods, fires or burglary, said Lebovitz. 

"In the wake of Hurricane Sandy, we saw so many people who lost their homes and everything inside of them to the forces of nature, including that box in their basement that had all of their documents," he said. "By adding your products on Product Cycler you will always have access to all of the information you need. We allow you to print out a list of all your products at any time along with the room it was in, the price, purchase date, et cetera."

The entrepreneur said it has "meant the world" to him to have the support of his family, friends and angel investors who have been providing encouragement and support in the form of financial backing and mentoring. 

The Jonathan Dayton High School graduate said he is excited about the launch of his business as it represents the coming together of everything he has learned both in the classroom and working with his family's business.

During graduate school, Lebovitz had an opportunity to talk with former chairman and chief executive officer of General Electric Jack Welch who asked him what he had planned after graduation. Welch was enthusiastic about Product Cycler, Lebovitz said.

"He said 'It's really exciting; a) your concept sounds very interesting and b) it's exciting because you're not sitting out there waiting for a job to come to you and you're not just filling out applications. You're trying to create jobs and create your own job and at the end of the day, that's exciting.'"

Lebovitz said his team is ready and willing to help any individual or business set up an account and get started. Users can begin by visiting Product Cycler's website. A mobile app is also available at https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/product-cycler/id617768042?mt=8

The entrepreneur said the site's current capabilities are just the tip of the iceberg in terms of where he hopes to take the concept. Eventually, he said, he would like users to be able to sell and buy from each other through the site. He also wants to encourage users to write reviews of products they own throughout the life of the item, noting that many owners only write reviews just after making a purchase, when its brand new and before any problems may occur. 

"It's just the beginning," he said. "There are tons of ways I want to take it from here."

For more information, visit the company's website at www.productcycler.com, or Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ProductCycler, or follow it on Twitter: www.twitter.com/ProductCycler